In Person: Author Talk with Scott MacMillan: Hope Over Fate

Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times called him “one of the unsung heroes of modern times,” and he is arguably the most influential man that most people have never heard of. His name was Fazle Hasan Abed, and his work changed the lives of millions. But his story has never been told—until now.  Previously a journalist, Scott MacMillan worked closely with Abed for seven years as his speechwriter and now serves as BRAC USA’s Director of Learning and Innovation. In his new book, HOPE OVER FATE: Fazle Hasan Abed and the Science of Ending Global Poverty (Rowman & Littlefield), the author shares the story of a complicated man and why his transformative approach to poverty and development is more relevant than ever. This is a story with much-needed lessons for positive social change that can be applied widely. Even amidst today’s challenges, poverty remains one of the most pressing concerns facing our global community.  Abed, a former finance executive with almost no experience in relief aid, started a temporary relief effort for refugees in Bangladesh in 1972.  Originally the Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee, it became BRAC. A half-century later, it is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in the world with over 100,000 employees and one of the most effective anti-poverty programs in history.  While the book is a biography of Abed, it's also the biography of an idea: the idea that hope itself, or people’s understanding that they can change the world around them rather than resigning themselves to fate, can itself help break the poverty trap. 

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